Castillo’s first hit with D-backs just enough to give team win over Mets: By the Numbers

By Andrew Gilstrap | June 6, 2015 at 10:33 pmUPDATED: June 7, 2015 at 12:06 am

Bartolo Colon baffled Arizona Diamondbacks hitters through six innings Saturday, but it was just one mistake that let the game get away from the New York Mets.

Chris Owings extended his hitting streak with a two-out single in the seventh, but with the way Colon was pitching, the D-backs were hard pressed to drive him home and tie the game.

That’s until new Diamondback Welington Castillo stepped to the plate. The 28-year-old catcher had struck out four times in his Diamondbacks debut the night before, but Colon left a slow fastball right down the middle, and Castillo took it just over the left field wall near the bullpen, transforming a one-run deficit to a one-run advantage.

The two-run shot was Castillo’s first hit with his new club. He was acquired Wednesday as part of the Mark Trumbo-to-Seattle deal.

Colon was pulled at the end of the seventh frame, but his teammates couldn’t generate any more runs, and the D-backs prevailed with a 2-1 win, claiming their second victory in as many nights.

Reliever Randall Delgado went an inning and a third and earned the win (3-2), while Arizona improved to 27-28, a game behind the San Diego Padres for third in the National League West.

Colon took the loss (8-4) despite allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out seven and walking one in seven innings. New York’s record was cut down to 30-27, second in the NL East.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s low-scoring, back-and-forth thriller, by the numbers:

3

New York’s only run came off a Juan Lagares second-inning solo homer, just the third allowed this season by Arizona starter Chase Anderson, who went 5.2 innings and did not factor into the decision. Anderson left in the sixth with the bases loaded, but Delgado got the home team out of the jam.

4

Part of the reason the Mets were only able to convert one run out of 10 total hits was the D-backs’ four double plays turned. Cliff Pennington and Paul Goldschmidt were common denominators in each of the first three, and a Jake Lamb-to-Goldschmidt unconventional connection ended the game, securing Brad Ziegler’s sixth save of the season. Lamb, by the way, made his first appearance since April 18, as he was reinstated from the disabled list Saturday afternoon. The third baseman struck out in his lone at-bat in the D-backs’ win.

5

In three at-bats Saturday, Yasmany Tomas, who started the game at third, collected one of the D-backs’ six hits, marking the rookie’s fifth straight game hitting safely; he is batting 9-for-19 (.474) overall during that span. The Cuban’s other two at-bats Saturday ended in strikeouts.

6 (part I)

D-backs manager Chip Hale lasted just six innings in the game, earning his first career ejection between innings as he argued a called strike against Goldschmidt that ended the sixth frame.

6 (part II)

Besides hitting his first home run with the Diamondbacks, Castillo was the only one to take a walk against Colon, marking just the sixth base on balls issued by the Mets veteran this season in 12 starts and a total of 75.2 innings.

10

It didn’t happen until his final at-bat, but Owings extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to left. He’d reach home a batter later on Castillo’s game-changing home run. Owings finished the night 1-for-3 and is now batting .250. A.J. Pollock also had a hitting streak going — six games — but that came to an end Saturday as the center fielder went 0-for-4.

15

Yet another intentional walk for Goldschmidt, which happened in the eighth inning Saturday with Nick Ahmed already on third. Goldy has been intentionally walked 15 times already this year, and 46 times (second most in the majors) overall. Besides taking the base on balls, the D-backs first baseman went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

28

Anderson has surrendered a whopping 28 hits in his last three starts, eight of which came Saturday. Luckily, the second-year right-hander (1-1) didn’t take a loss in any of the three starts. Anderson’s 5.2 innings pitched marked his second straight game failing to last at least six full innings. The 27-year-old righty also walked one and struck out six — one shy of his season high — during his 106-pitch outing. He slightly lowered his ERA to 3.12 with the performance.

30

The home run was Castillo’s 30 of his career, and just his third of the season between three teams.